Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1887-07-21
INSPECTOR BYRNEs.


An Interesting Chat with New FORKS
Famous Thief-Catcher.
He leaned carelessly against the iron
railing on the Twenty eighth street
side of the Gilsey House. just in the
shadow OF the hotel. He was dressed
In a neat business suit of mixed goods.
wore a white derby Of the low-crowned
style, smoked his cigar with evident
relish, and had the general air OF
well-to-do man about town who knew
the good things Of this world, and en-
joyed them. A stranger would have
taken him for one of the guests OF the
j Gilsey-but he was not-he was
simply Inspector Byrnes. and what he
was doing there. standing quietly in
the darkness, the Graphic man did not
care to ask. Yet, as the big world drift
ed by along Broadway and under the
glare of the electric lights, showing
every man and woman's countenance
to the.watchful. placid-faced man in
the shadows. the inspector dropped in
to one of his pleasant chatty moods,
and between the wreaths of his cigar
smoke told something of the life that
surrounds him every day. :asets#
mo one knows how much watehful.
ness and continual care are required to
keep up successfully with the patience,
energy, talent and new methods of the
thieves of New York. Their system of
work against which we provide to-day
is replaced tomorrow by newer and
more intricate scheme which has been
evolved from the inventive brain of
some talented crook. The community
looks to us not only for the capture
and conviction of the thieves, but in a
large part expects US to prevent crime.
To do this in any successful way en-
tails upon me and my officers a
thorough and continuous knowledge
Of thieves and malefactors, their GUS
toms, manner of life, habits and asso-
oiates, their special aptitudes and Pc
culiarities, and their general haunts
and lounging places. How do we at
tain to this knowledge? In the simplest
way possibility unceasing daily as
ISOLATION with these thieves and law
breakers of high and low degree. It
sounds strange, doesn't it, and yet it
Is true that there is not day OF i.y
life but I spend a couple of hours
among that class Of people. I re-
member how such statement rs I
now make was received by Theodore
Roosevelt when he had me before his
investigation committee. He asked
me what considered
the qualifications of a good
detective, and enumerated youth,
energy, courage, enterprise, and an
acquaintance with thieves and their
methods. .Whatr said MIR. Roosevelt
DO you consider intimacy with the
criminal classes one of the essential
qualifications of your officersP re-
piled that I most certainly did, and
added that there was no day that did
not pass some of my time among
thieves. Doyou include today said
Mr.. Roosevelt L do answered, for.
looking into this big audience, can
see several men have helped to send
to Sing Sing for various crimesr The
explanation seemed. to satisfy the
young lawmaker. and he asked me no
AuI eICI oH 1hAc punt ACo eAAo ibCVSo-
sity of this acquaintance with thieves
ought to be self-evident-.d If you love
your watch and come to nae to aid in
finding it for you, LIDO not go to Will
lam M. Evarts; nor to Archbishop
Gorrigan, nor to Rev. Howard Crosby
to discover who stole it must 60
among thieves. and to be able TO, do
xt; ~ rro+ x,.,, Ia oly vow, ,r RI \ ,,,a,
have the knowledge I speak about.
Why don't takea vacationa WelT,. Ell
tell. Every time 1. go out of town.
even for few hours, Tfeel an irresist-
ible impulse to get back. 1t seems ia
me I might be needed. Go to Europep
No, no! My dear fellow. if ever they
get me outside of land they will have
to put handouts on me.-M z
Graphic.